“The Generation of Three Chairs”

It is possible that you are reading this article while sitting comfortably on a chair. You are probably a representative of the “generation of three chairs” – spending most of your day in a sitting position. It may seem comfortable, but the truth about a sedentary lifestyle is far less so.

18 September 2025

“The generation of three chairs” – what are the symptoms of “over-sitting”?

Modern times are increasingly characterised by a sedentary lifestyle, which is associated with the expression “generation of three chairs”. Many of us sit while commuting to work, at the desk, and also rest this way after a hard day. However, this has its health implications – by sticking to “three chairs” we may live pleasantly and comfortably, but for a shorter time. That is why it is worth paying attention to the symptoms of “over-sitting”, such as:

“Smartphone neck syndrome” – when, while sitting, you tilt your head, raise your shoulders and shoulder blades, and round the upper part of your back, pain may occur – the result of overloading the muscles, cervical vertebrae and shoulder girdle. Over time, such a position becomes a habit, meaning the pain usually appears when you try to assume the correct posture.
Back pain – while sitting, you increase the load on the lumbar spine by 40% compared with standing. Desk work can raise this indicator to as much as 70%, and raising the seat of the chair does not solve the problem. What is more, it may accelerate the development of “smartphone neck” symptoms, as you may be inclined to bend forward even more while working. Unfortunately, spinal disc herniation and spinal degeneration cannot be fully prevented.
Carpal tunnel syndrome – do you work on a computer, and after work enjoy playing games? Prolonged use of the keyboard and mouse can lead to overloading of tendons, blood vessels in the hands and the median nerve. The consequences are inflammation, pain, numbness in the fingers and difficulty moving the hand, as well as problems with gripping and precise movement of objects.
Muscle and joint pain – the longer you remain in a sitting position, the more you compress the muscles and joints, which are naturally adapted to maintaining a standing position. Such compression, combined with a slower heart rate, may cause insufficient blood supply – which manifests as pain, cramps, numbness and swelling. The longer you sit, the harder it will be for you to maintain proper posture. Weakened muscles do not stabilise the joints, which then work under increased load. This in turn causes pain and, in the long run, may lead to degenerative changes.
Problems with fitness – when you sit, your heart works more slowly and your breathing becomes shallow and irregular. Spending longer periods in such a position lowers your cardio-respiratory efficiency. As a result, climbing to the third floor by stairs may cause severe shortness of breath and heart palpitations, while longer and more intense effort will cause even greater discomfort.

Symptoms of this kind are all too often downplayed. We assume that after all, we all work hard, it is better to drive than to walk, and “at a certain age something must ache”. With such an attitude, however, we may end up “sitting ourselves into” obesity, hypertension, atherosclerosis, heart disease, type II diabetes, osteoporosis, various types of cancer and many other accompanying conditions. We may – but we do not have to. It is enough simply to get up from the chair.

How to get up from the chair and sit less?

Do you think that a long-term sedentary lifestyle can be balanced out with intensive workouts? It is one method, but not necessarily effective if your experience with physical activity is limited. Starting at a high level, you will quickly become discouraged and return to the “sitting” comfort zone. The problem of the “three chairs” begins in your head – it depends on you when and how to change your lifestyle.

Step 1: Practise getting up

Sitting is a habit formed against nature, because humans are evolutionarily adapted to moving on two legs. To start moving – you must first stand up. The more often you do it, the less you sit and the more you realise that you are able to get up from the chair.

Take (micro)breaks at work – visit colleagues on higher floors, walk to a more distant photocopier, do a few simple stretching exercises, drink your coffee or tea while standing.
Walk where you could drive – cover the last stretch of your commute on foot (e.g. park the car a little further away or get off one stop earlier), go shopping at a local shop, walk your child to school, take the dog out for a walk.
Look for reasons to stand up – rise from the chair when speaking to someone, regularly get up from in front of the computer or television screen, take breaks to stretch your legs during longer car journeys.

Step 2: Avoid sitting down

For those who have fallen into the trap of the “three chairs”, long-term balance may seem like an enormous challenge. This is another area of habits and behaviours that is worth changing.

Give up chairs – go for longer walks, choose a bike instead of a car, rest actively away from civilisation.
Do physical work – help friends with gardening, tidy up the attic – you do not need to change your whole lifestyle immediately in order to start moving and benefit from NEAT-type activity.
Change your surroundings – try to spend your free time outside the house, preferably in the fresh air, so as not to return to established routines linked with a sedentary lifestyle.

Step 3: Let yourself be noticed

The fight against the “three chairs” does not have to be waged in solitude. Your loved ones may turn out to be valuable allies. If they join you, it will certainly benefit their health too. You can strengthen your commitment to changing your lifestyle by inviting others to take part.

Look for similarities – people similar to you (age, physical fitness, living conditions). This is not only a source of valuable inspiration but also of motivation – if they can do it, so can you!
Share with your loved ones – say that you want to sit less, show off the number of steps you have taken in a week, talk about a well-spent weekend, invite them to join in shared activities, and if you can – compete, but within reason.
Seek support – check the offer of a local fitness club, join a slow jogging group, take part in classes available with a MultiSport card.

A set of useful exercises

Finally, we present a few simple exercises. They may prove helpful if you spend too much time sitting. They are ideal, for example, during a break at work. Note: these exercises will not replace regular physical activity, nor will they make up for years of neglect. Their purpose is to alleviate the ailments associated with a sedentary lifestyle and to remind you that you still have something to fight for!

Swedish push-up:

Stand with your back to a chair.
Place your hands on the seat of the chair, straighten your legs, resting them on the floor.
Keeping your back straight, bend your arms so that they are almost parallel to the floor.

Half push-up/half plank:

Stand facing a desk.
Place your hands on its edge, positioning them slightly wider than shoulder width.
Keeping your back straight, bend your arms, bringing your chest closer to the edge of the desk.
Hold the position for 30 seconds or perform a series of repetitions.

Skier:

Stand with your back to a wall.
Leaning your back against the wall, bend your hips and knees at a right angle.
Hold the position for 30 seconds.

Standing torso twist:

Stand firmly on your feet, placing them hip-width apart.
As you inhale, raise your arms high above your head, clasping your hands together.
Holding the position, twist your torso.
Try to maintain or deepen the twisted position.

Alternating lunges:

Stand steadily, feet hip-width apart, elbows bent.
Take a step forward or backwards, bending both legs at the knees at a right angle, then return to the starting position.
Alternate – first one, then the other leading leg.
Keep your shins perpendicular to the floor and your knees in line with your feet.

We wish you perseverance and an active and effective use of your time. Remember your new motto – much less sitting!

^References:

^{1) Gibbs B. B., Hergenroeder A. L., Perdomo S. J. i inni, Reducing sedentary behaviour to decrease chronic low back pain: the stand back randomised trial, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 2018.}

^{2) Yoon W., Choi S., Han H., Shin G., Neck Muscular Load When Using a Smartphone While Sitting, Standing, and Walking, Human Factors, 2021.}

^{3) Padua L., Coraci D., Erra C. i inni, Carpal tunnel syndrome: clinical features, diagnosis, and management, The Lancet. Neurology, 2016.}

^{4) Reimers C. D., Knapp G., Reimers A. K., Does Physical Activity Increase Life Expectancy? A Review of the Literature, Journal of Aging Research, 2012.}

^{5) Park J. H., Moon J. H., Kim H. J. i inni, Sedentary Lifestyle: Overview of Updated Evidence of Potential Health Risks, Korean Journal of Family Medicine, 2020.}

^{6) https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/light-activity-may-lower-harmful-effects-sitting}

^{7) https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/even-small-increases-in-daily-exercise-are-tied-to-longevity}

^{8) https://www.who.int/news/item/26-06-2024-nearly-1.8-billion-adults-at-risk-of-disease-from-not-doing-enough-physical-activity}